John Hancock Global Opportunities Fund Named Top Global Equities Fund in Annual Bloomberg Markets Ranking

BOSTON, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The John Hancock Global Opportunities Fund (JGPAX) won the #1 spot among global equities funds as determined by Bloomberg Markets Magazine in its annual rankings, published in the October issue.  With a 30.7 percent total return for the year ending June 30 and a 10.2 percent five-year total return, the Global Opportunities Fund posted the top score of 97.7 in the overall Bloomberg rankings.

MFC Global Investment Management's Christopher H. Arbuthnot, CFA, is the lead portfolio manager for the Fund.

In addition, the John Hancock Strategic Income Fund (JHFIX) placed sixth among top global bond funds, with a score of 73.2 points, in the Bloomberg rankings.  Managed by MFC Global Investment Management (MFC GIM) senior portfolio managers Daniel S. Janis III and Thomas C. Goggins, the fund posted a one-year total return of 19.3 percent, 6.9 percent for three years, and 5.8 percent for five years.

"We're pleased with Bloomberg's recognition of outstanding performance by these MFC Global Investment Management sub-advised funds," said Keith F. Hartstein, President & CEO.  "The Global Opportunities and Strategic Income funds are a reflection of the overall excellence of the John Hancock family of funds today.  Through our partnership with MFC GIM and 11 other world-class sub-advisors, we are committed to providing access to premier institutional investment strategies which will help shareholders meet their investment goals and objectives."

Bloomberg's mutual fund rankings include only active, open-end, U.S.-domiciled funds with more than $250 million in total assets. Excluded in the rankings were institutional-class, index, sector and market-neutral funds. For the global equity and global bond rankings, the universe was limited to funds with at least one-third of their assets invested outside the U.S.  The Bloomberg scoring model included five equally weighted criteria:  total returns for one, three and five years, and Sharpe ratios for three and five years, all as of June 30.  Sharpe ratios were added because they show how well the return of a fund compensates investors for the risk taken.

In addition to the Bloomberg rankings, the Wall Street Journal's monthly Mutual Fund Review for September 2010 ranked John Hancock Global Opportunities as a "Category King," claiming the top spot of the Global Stock category for its year to date return.  The John Hancock High Yield Fund was also a "Category King," ranked among the top High Yield Taxable funds for its year to date performance.

About John Hancock Funds

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds manages more than $54.6 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors at June 30, 2010.  

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. For more than 120 years, clients have looked to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$454 billion (US$428 billion) as at June 30, 2010.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial may be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Funds